WEEK 22 REVIEW: Round-up of Sunday's league and cup action

CORINTHIAN CUP

The semi-finals line-up for this year’s Corinthian Cup last four was completed on Sunday as Repton Park moved to within ninety minutes of a trip to Thurrock in April. They were the visitors on Sunday as they headed down the A406 to face Flanders in East Ham. Shomari Barnwell got himself on the hosts’ scoresheet once again but Repton hit back with four goals to secure the 4-1 victory, progressing on to face Emerson Park.

TROPHYLAND CUP

There was also quarter final action in the Trophyland Cup at the weekend where Wanstead United and Barca finally managed to take to the field to play their weather-delayed cup tie in Plaistow. Jason Branche and Bradley Drisdale both scored braces for the hosts with a Johnnie Offei effort completing a resounding 5-0 win for Wanstead United as they move on to the semi-finals. They will now host Flyhouse Athletic in March with both sides just one performance away from Ship Lane.

SPRING CUP

It was also a morning to remember for Epping Forest Falcons who made it two consecutive seasons in reaching the latter stages of the Spring Cup, following up their final appearance last season by booking a semi-final this time. They were in Beckton to take on Custom House Community Reserves where a goal in each from Michael Girling proved the difference in an otherwise well contested match. Falcons will now face Highams Park Royals in their March semi–final.

DIVISION ONE CUP

Continuing the theme of quarter-finals, six sides from Division One were in cup action themselves over the weekend, all eager to continue their run in the competition for another round at least. The shock of the day’s action came at Castle Green where rivals Park Tavern and FC Mexico came head-to-head once again. Luke Brooker got on the scoresheet for the visitors but David Hornsby came off the bench to bag a match-winning hat-trick for Park Tavern to win 3-1 and go through to the semis.

The league leaders, Ultimate Vision, didn’t get things all their own way as they opened their cup campaign with a tie away at Valentines United on Sunday. Jimmy McCann and James Gibbings found the back of the net for United but Ultimate Vision eventually prevailed from the tie with with a Ryan Chapman double and goals from Joe Maskell and Luke Thomas to send them through.

Ultimate Vision will now face East London Old Boys once again after the latter bounced back from their county cup exit last weekend to come through a tough match away at Korona Redbridge on Sunday. The game finished level at 2-2 after a closely fought battle with Kamil Urbanski and Waldek Szydlowski both on target for Korona. Extra time though proved a step too far for the hosts as East London Old Boys ran out 5-2 winners in the end to book their semi-final.

DIVISION THREE CUP

In the Division Three Cup, there were two quarter-finals which took place, both containing seven goals in goal-filled encounters. The first of those matches saw a Dagenham derby match as Alliance United took on local rivals Morfdown Elect with a semi spot up for grabs. Robert Ashdown scored twice and Remi Monfray once for Alliance but two goals apiece from Conor Treadwell and Adam Davis proved just a tad too much as Elect battled to a 4-3 victory.

The day’s other cup tie saw Roneo Colts open their cup campaign with a home clash against Goresbrook at Robert Clack. And it was the visitors, Goresbrook, will have left the happier of the two sides on the day as they romped to a 6-1, overcoming a Sam Bashua goal for Colts to confirm their place in the semi-finals and continuing what will be a busy last couple of months of the season for them.

DIVISION TWO

Away from the cup action, there was still plenty of important league matches taking place as St Augustines played host to Dagenham United in Barkingside with the Saints knowing that victory was a must if they are to continue their promotion quest. Despite only managing to field ten men for the umpteenth time this year, Saints managed to edge the match 2-1 with Byron Boxer netting both goals to render Lee Green’s goal for United as just a consolation.

DIVISION THREE

In the day’s only surviving Division Three league action, Dagenham United Reserves made light of the tough conditions to record the most emphatic of wins, securing a 15-1 victory over Lings Elite Under 21s. Tom Bolton got the Lings goal but the day will be remembered for the United goal scoring feats as Sean Thomas scored six goals, three from each of Gary Adams and Loui Hazelwood, two from Scott Meyers and a Ricardo Teixeira effort to round things off.

DIVISION FOUR

The result of the day surely must go to Newham Athletic who, despite being bottom of Division Four prior to the start of the day and without a point, managed to overcome second in the table Thames Ironworks Community in a performance of the season. The Wanstead based side defied the odds to run out winners by the odd goal in five, securing a memorable 3-2 win and putting a huge dent in Thames’ promotion challenge.

With all of the top three side out of action this weekend, Emerson Park Under 21s took full advantage of the situation in closing the gap by three points with a comfortable victory away at Bata United. Jake Lakey and Ronnie Hobbrough each netted a hat-trick to pave the way with Mitchell McCabe, Jake Willis and Edward Buchanan efforts rounding things off in a 9-0 victory.

Also winning by a comfortable margin were East Ham Inter as the fifth placed outfit took on seventh placed Oak Royals in a mid-table. Hosts Inter will be pleased with the morning’s work as they ran out 4-0 winners to secure a ninth league victory of their debut campaign. The win keeps them in touch with the top four sides but with games starting to run out for them.

COUNTY CUP

It was another terrific morning for Upshire in the Essex Sunday Junior Trophy who continued their congested run in the competition with a fourth victory in the competition since Christmas, overcoming the efforts of Combination League-based Hillford in this quarter final. Despite a tight opening that saw the sides go in level at 0-0, Upshire eventually prevailed with four second half goals to book a place in Wednesday afternoon’s semi-final draw.

CHARITY CUP

It was also a good morning for one of our other clubs in the external competitions as Flyhouse Athletic followed up their cup final appearance in last season's West Essex Sunday Charity Trophy with a quarter-final win away at Shere Force on Sunday. The Hainault based side hopped across the hedge and returned home with a 4-2 win and a place confirmed in the semi-finals once again.